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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet, 1. R. WILUOX.

PE ATHER ING PROPELLER. No. 380,967. Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. wrfioox, FEATHERING PROPEL-LBR. I No. 380,967. Patented Apr. 10. 1888.

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 3. v R. WILOOX.

FEATHERING PROPELL'ER.

v No. 380,967.

Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

' N. PTERS.'Pho|u-Limngnphar. Washington. at;

(N0 Model.) 5 Sheet'sSheet 4 R. wrLoox.

v FBATHERING PROPBLLER. v No. 380,967. Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

R. WILOOX.

PBATHERING PROBELLER.

No. 380,967. Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

lower plane of the guide-path.

ENT FIC ROBERT WILCOX, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

FEATHERlNG-PROPELLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,967, dated April 10, 1888.

Application filed April 6, 1887. Serial No. 233,943.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WILcoX, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 5 East India Avenue, Leadenhall Street, in the city of London, England, and late of St. Kilda, in the Colony of Victoria, theoretical engineer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propellers for Ships or Vessels Suitable for the Same, of which the following is a specification. 4

The propeller to which this invention re latesis applicable to ships or vessels using steam or any other motive power. I employ two or more propellers forming a pair or pairs. I place one or more on either side in the after run of the vessel, or at any other convenient point in the length of the ship or vessel where the transverse section is suitably formed for their application, as hereinafter stated. The shafts are vertical and hollow, and at the lower end there is a boss on each holdingblade, of which there may be four to each shaft. Each blade has a round shank entering the boss. The shafts are preferably in line across the ship or vessel, and the returning blades travel within recesses constructed in the vessel. There is a division between the recesses. The part of the propeller that is do' ing the work of propulsion for the time being is outside ofthe recess. The otherpart, returning to continue the work of propulsion, travels within the recess. The propellers and recesses are sufficiently above the level of the keel to give protection to the propellerblades' The shafts or trunks pass through the bottom of the vessel within packed glands. Inside of the hollow shaft and on the end of the round shank of each blade is a crank attached to a vertical featheringrod. The upper end of this rod is attached'to an arm pro jecting outward through a slot in the shaft. The arm is fixed to a vertical slide-block. The slide-block has rollers or wheels that travel on-a circular guidepath encircling the shaft. At a proper point this guide-path in clines upward to level plane parallel to the lower portion of the guide-path, and from this the path again descends to the level of the vVhen the shaft is made to revolve, the rollers 0r wheels of the slide-blockstravel round the circular guide-path. VJ hen they are on the lower level or plane, the propeller-blades are held rigidly in a horizontal position, cutting edgewise (No model.)

through the water; but when each roller or wheel comes to the rising incline of the circular guide path it runs up the incline, which causes'the slide'block to rise, and this in turn lifts the featheringrod and crank within the shaft and causes the propelling-blade to turn from the horizontal to the vertical position. When the blade is in this position, it presses against the water, doing the work of propulsion, and it continues to do so while the roller or wheel is traveling over the upper level of the guidepath. IV hen the wheel or roller descends to the lower level of the guide-path, the blade is feathered to the horizontal position and enters edgewise into the recess in the vessel. Likewise all the propelling-blades on the shaft act similarly in succession during the rotation of the shaft. The propeller has a like action in reverse propulsion. Through the action of the ship passing through the water either way a, natural circular eddy is caused within the recesses in the side of the ship or vessel in the direction in which the blades are traveling when feathered, and this diminishes the resistance offered to the blades in return- I make that part of the circular guide-path that rises to the higher level movable, so that when the ship is sailing and the propeller not in action all the blades canbe feathered to the horizontal position simultaneously.

To carry the weight of the propeller and shaft,I mount rollers on the shaft near the upper end, and these, as the shaft revolves, run round on a stationary guide-course. Above this the shaft is cranked for connection to the engine or driving-power. Above the packingglands of the shaft I provide vertical rollers upon a solid abutment in the ship. Against these the side'ot' the shaft bears, and so imparts to the ship the thrust of the propeller. Two or more pairs of propellers may be employed.

By the use of this propeller nearly a direct thrust upon the water is obtained, and this is always exerted under the most advantageous circumstances, as when not in position for propelling the blade is always feathered. The water offers but little resistance to the blade when feathered, more especially as the pro gress of the ship through the water causes the water to be withdrawn outward from the lead ing or forward part of the recesses through its frictional contact with the still water, and the supply of water to the recesses flows in at the after part of the recesses, thereby causing a flow through the recesses in the direction in which the blades traverse the recesses.

In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

Figurel is a side elevation of one of the side propellers with its hollow shaft, the guidepath, the supportingrollers, and other parts. The cavity or recess in the ship in which the propeller works is also shown, and above the cavity or recess the ships side is removed to expose the parts within. The propeller on the other side of the ship is in all respects similar. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same parts. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through the boss of the propeller. Fig. 4 is a plan of the propeller-shaft with parts in connection therewith, butwith the crank-head removed. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the crankhead of the propeller-shaft with parts in connection therewith. Fig. 6' is a plan of the crank-head, but with the parts above the line a: min Fig.5 removed. Fig. 7 is an elevation, to a smaller scale,of part of a vessel fitted with one of my propellers. Fig. 8 is an under side view of the same. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 3 y, Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 10 is a section on the line 2' 2, Figs. 7 and 8.

A is the keel of the vessel.

B B is a portion of the transverse section of the vessel.

a is the hollow shaft. thrbough the ships bottom through a gland at c is the boss at the lower end of the shaft a, and d d are the blades having round shanks d d fitted into the boss.

(2 d are crank-arms on the shanks, and e e are the feathering-rods connected with the crank-arms and serving to control the blades.

fis the cavity or recess in the ship through which the blades pass when returning. Their position,when in the cavity or recess, is horizontal, and the water offers but little resistance to their passage edgewise through it. WVhen the blades leave the cavity or recess, they assume at a proper point a vertical position,and presenting the flat of the blade to the water exert an efficient propelling action.

gg are rollers to receive the thrust of the propellers on the ship, which abut on the shaft immediately above the gland I). They are carried by a strong framing, h, fixed within the ship, and are adjustable by wedges and regulating-screws h, as the drawings indicate.

6 i are slide-blocks mounted in guides on the exterior flat face of the shaft a, which is square at these parts. They are able to rise and fall against it, and are provided with small rollers to lessen friction.

i z" are arms on the slide-blocks, to which the feathering-rods e c are attached. These arms pass through slots in the sides of the shaft a. On the outer sides of the slide-blocks It passes down are studs on which rollers or wheels 2' 2' are carried, and these rollers or wheels run upon the guide-path k, which has two parts, one above and the other below the rollers or wheels 2*, and the inclined part which can be drawn back out of the way by means of the hand screw k but which when at work is stationary, like the other portions of the guide-path. When the rollers or wheels i meet theincline k, they run up it, and the slide-blocks are raised, and the feathering-rods, acting on the blades, set them vertical, or to' the propelling position. WVhen the rollers or wheels i get to the end of the inclined part k, they descend, and the blades again become horizontal, ready to enter the cavity or recess f. When the movable part 70 of the guide-path is drawn back, all the. blades remain horizontal, and then the ship may sail without the aid of the propeller, which will oppose but little resistance to its progress.

a is the upper part or crank-head of the shaft a. It has studs upon it carrying rollers or wheels Z, which, running on the fixed track m, support the weight of the shaft and propeller by suitable frame-supports.

The head of the shaft carries cranks, by which the shaft is driven. a* is one of these cranks. n is one of the connecting-rods.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. The propeller consisting of two or more vertical hollow shafts suitably driven in a revolving or rotary motion and carrying at their lower ends radial blades controlled by feathering-rods within the shaft and slide-block wheels traveling over circular guide paths, the said blades during part of the revolution assuming a horizontal position and being contained within cavities or recesses in the ship, and during the other part of the revolution being out of the cavities or recesses and vertical, or in position to exert an efficient press ure against the water, whereby to propel the ship, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination,with the vesschrecessed as described, of the rotating hollow shaft having the boss at its lower end, the feathering propeller-blades having their rounded shanks titted into the boss, the feathering-rods within the rotating hollow shaft, the cranks connecting these rods with the shanks of the propellerblades, the slide-blocks, the arms of which pass through slots in the sides of the rotating hollow shaft and are attached to the feathering-rods, the rollers of the slide-blocks, and

the circular guide-path provided with the in clined part fixed in position during the working of the propeller-blades, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ROBERT WILCOX.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK CARPMALL, WILMER M. HARRIS. 

